Hailchoeres Wrasse Under Appreciated

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I had 2 back when I had my 180 reef. They were great fish!

 

[User1]

My dusky wrasse died of old age a few months ago. His successor is gaining size in QT. In the meantime I have noted a marked increase in ‘pests’, including bristle worms and astetina stars. I would not personally run a reef rank without a halichoeres wrasse on the job.

I seem to recall an advanced aquarium article on them. Search on Halichoeres Wrasses - are they they best reef fish? Richard Aspinal.

 

[Reef AquaCult]

My entire tank is aquacultured animals, except for my halichores wrasse because they’re so useful. University of Florida In Ruskin FL is working on the aquaculture of melanarus wrasse, let’s hope they are successful in bringing them to market in the next few years.

 

[will25u]

@will25u

I had a Melanaurus wrasse in a 40 gallon breeder and judging from its colors and growth I believe it was healthy. I have seen people on here and on reddit with yellow wrasses in their biocubes so I think a 36" would be doable with smaller haliocheres given their other needs are met.

This is good to know. I had one in my last large tank before I left Colorado. Are Halichores Wrasse ever captive bred?

 

[furyofthegnomes]

I love my Red-Lined. Even though I may have a bunch of flatworms in my sump, for the life of me I can't find any in my display tank. The only time he was a jerk was with my Purple Firefish, for some reason it took him a long time to warm up to it.

 

[will25u]

In response to my last post - I see above Reef Aquacult mentioning there’s a program in works to make these guys captive-bred. That’s amazing! I’m trying to use the best practices by choosing only aquacultured inhabitants for my tank.

 

[X-37B]

Every tank (over about 40 gallons) should have at least one in the genus. They only reason not to keep one in this group is if you don't have sand.

I will probably get the wrasse police for this. I have a yellow coris in my 120 bare bottom.
May put some sand in the back one day but it is healthy active and doing well with the other 11 fish.

 

[Reef AquaCult]

I will probably get the wrasse police for this. I have a yellow coris in my 120 bare bottom.
May put some sand in the back one day but it is healthy active and doing well with the other 11 fish.

Very cool where does it sleep!? I 3D printed a small box with sand that I glued next to the overflow so you don’t notice it for mine.

 

[X-37B]

Very cool where does it sleep!? I 3D printed a small box with sand that I glued next to the overflow so you don’t notice it for mine.

Dont know. In the rocks with the others. I have seen him buried in detrius that collects in The back corner of the tank.
When I suck it out I may drop some sand in that spot.

 

[Reef AquaCult]

Dont know. In the rocks with the others. I have seen him buried in detrius that collects in The back corner of the tank.
When I suck it out I may drop some sand in that spot.

Your wrasse is sand deprived! Sounds like he’s happy regardless.

 

[X-37B]

Your wrasse is sand deprived! Sounds like he’s happy regardless.

Yea I guess he might be. He gets along well with 6 chromis 1 clown 1 pajama cardinal 1 lawnmower blenny 1 convict tang and 1 tomini tang.
The tang police is kind of funny as mine keeps the chromis in line when they get agressive.

 

[Magellan]

My 6 line keeps my tank absolutely spotless. Once in a blue moon I will see a hydroid, but he is relentless and it won’t last long! Wrasse are so useful imo

 

[TheStrangler]

I'm looking for a suitable wrasse suggestion that would do well in a 50 gallon cube. I'm sifting through the various options from the Reef Safe Wrasse thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.259894/ and weighing other's input. Im looking at the smaller hailchoeres options as I'd love the pest cleaning aspect if I could provide a suitable home for one, but am also considering the pink streak wrasse as a smaller option in case a 50 gallon cube is too tight. If anyone has happily kept a reef safe and hopefully somewhat invert safe wrasse in something similar, I'd love to hear about it.

 

[cancun]

I thought I would chime in! I have a male Melanarous, Earmuff, and yellow Coris. Plus 5 leopard Wrasses, a Red Coris, and a China Wrasse. Had them all for several years. No issues! No pests in my tank, but no typical CUC eaither LOL! I saw a dusky at my LFS the other day, but I might be pushing my luck with another Wrasse. 8)

 

[cancun]

I'm looking for a suitable wrasse suggestion that would do well in a 50 gallon cube. I'm sifting through the various options from the Reef Safe Wrasse thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.259894/ and weighing other's input. Im looking at the smaller hailchoeres options as I'd love the pest cleaning aspect if I could provide a suitable home for one, but am also considering the pink streak wrasse as a smaller option in case a 50 gallon cube is too tight. If anyone has happily kept a reef safe and hopefully somewhat invert safe wrasse in something similar, I'd love to hear about it.

I had a sixline years ago that never touched inverts, but when he matured after a few years it was like a switch flipped in him, and became a terror, went after every fish no matter what kind of how big. Caught him and took him to the LFS. Yellow Coris might be a good option for your size tank. My biggest invert killer is the Red Coris...I have had him for 5 yrs, and my male Melanarous.

 

[cancun]

Here's some pics.....you can't go wrong with Wrasses!!!!!

 

[lolmatt]

I have 7 halichoeres wrasses along with 2 leopards (m ornatus and m moyeri) and a harlequin tusk for a total of 10 wrasses in my 180, plus a few other fish. The list includes h iridis, h melasmopomus, h chloropterus, h chrysus, h melanurus, h biocellatus, and h timorensis. Have to say, I would prefer something more colorful than the chloropterus and timorensis. I added the chloropterus after the others were all established and had zero increased aggression, only stayed in the acclimation box for a day.

I'm looking to add xenojulis margaritaceus and coris venusta to complete my wrasse collection.

Needless to say, easily my favorite fishes. My favorites are probably the radient and earmuff. I really like h rubricephalus but have never found a healthy specimen locally (I will only buy wrasses locally).

 

[lolmatt]

Oh, I have a female biota mandarin in there with all those wrasses, too, and I'm adding a male soon (growing in my nano right now). Female I've had for over a year and she is fat, no idea what she eats but I guess she gets a mysis here or there because I haven't seen a pod outside of my sump in a long time.

 

[cancun]

I have 7 halichoeres wrasses along with 2 leopards (m ornatus and m moyeri) and a harlequin tusk for a total of 10 wrasses in my 180, plus a few other fish. The list includes h iridis, h melasmopomus, h chloropterus, h chrysus, h melanurus, h biocellatus, and h timorensis. Have to say, I would prefer something more colorful than the chloropterus and timorensis. I added the chloropterus after the others were all established and had zero increased aggression, only stayed in the acclimation box for a day.

I'm looking to add xenojulis margaritaceus and coris venusta to complete my wrasse collection.

Needless to say, easily my favorite fishes. My favorites are probably the radient and earmuff. I really like h rubricephalus but have never found a healthy specimen locally (I will only buy wrasses locally).

I love my Earmuff.....I only buy any fish locally.... especially Wrasses....not a fan of buying fish online site unseen....but I am also lucky being close to several great LFS though!

 

[McPuff]

Lost my 6+ years-kept melanurus wrasse a couple months ago. For the moment I'm wrasses-free in the DT. Have a tiny solar cooking in QT though and he'll be ready to go in two weeks. After that I do plan on getting another halichoeres wrasse for sure. Too much fun to watch, and too pretty to not have one. Probably a Labouti as well. :0)